But Cycling Ireland said on Friday that the matter would be looked at again.

This will take place at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of Cycling Ireland on a date yet to be announced.

A statement from the Irish governing body said: "Cycling Ireland at a meeting of its board on 26 April decided to convene an EGM to consider matters which have arisen following the decision taken at its board meeting on 12 April to nominate Mr Pat McQuaid to stand for the position of UCI president."

Who is Pat McQuaid?

Born: 5 September 1949, Dublin

Cycling career: 1966-82, including Tour of Ireland victories in 1975 and 1976

Banned from 1976 Olympics after being caught racing in South Africa at time of anti-apartheid sporting boycott

Irish Cycling Federation president 1983-86

UCI president 2006-present

Cycling Ireland's secretary Geoff Liffey said details of the EGM would be circulated to member clubs next week.

Reacting to Friday's development, McQuaid put the decision down to a "technicality".

"I understand that Cycling Ireland has now decided to refer the matter to an EGM as a result of a technicality arising from the fact that its president temporarily vacated the chair of the nomination meeting so that he could contribute to the meeting under the chair of the CEO,'' McQuaid said on the UCI website.

"This decision was taken on the basis of legal advice on procedural rules not on the merits of my nomination, which the board has endorsed."

Former Cycling Ireland vice-chairman Anthony Moran resigned from the board of the Irish governing body after it nominated McQuaid for a further UCI term.

There have also been reports that there may be some unhappiness within Irish grassroots cycling about McQuaid's nomination.

The 63-year-old, who has been in the post since 2006, has resisted calls for him to resign, and says his candidacy is based on a record of "combating the scourge of doping in cycling".

Cycling Ireland's initial support came with conditions, including limiting presidents to two four-year terms.

The presidency of the UCI will be decided at the organisation's World Congress in September.